· Six-hour bombardment of Gaza by Israeli F-16 fighter
jets;
· PNA institutions in the West Bank and the Gaza Strip
hit by Israeli fighter jets and combat helicopters;
· Two children killed by shrapnel from missiles fired
from Israeli Apache helicopters in an assassination attempt in Hebron;
· Willful killings of six Palestinians by Israeli
occupation forces;
· Palestinian policeman killed during incursion into
northern Gaza strip;
· Four Palestinians killed in Khan Yunis by intensive
shelling by Israeli occupation forces;
· Two Palestinians killed in Deir Ghassana as a result
of excessive use of force by Israeli occupation forces;
· Significant increase of incursions into PNA-controlled
areas to arrest Palestinians from their houses; and
· Continued siege on the OPT; Palestinian patient dies
at a military roadblock.
On 7 December, two Palestinians were
killed by an undercover Israeli unit in Deir Ghassana village near Ramallah.
Israeli occupation forces have
maintained a total siege on the Occupied Palestinian Territories. This week, a Palestinian patient died when
Israeli occupation forces at a military roadblock due to obstructed access to
hospital.
In an unprecedented step, as part of
their serious efforts to isolate occupied Jerusalem from the rest of the West
Bank, on Tuesday, 11 December, Israeli occupation forces started establishing
an iron gate on the Ramallah-Jerusalem road, near Qalandya Airport. According to eyewitnesses, the amount and
kind of construction raw materials brought to the area by the Israeli forces
indicate that these forces intend to establish a border crossing similar to
Beit Hanoun (Erez) Crossing in the northern Gaza Strip.
This week, Israeli
occupation forces arrested more Palestinians.
1. Two
Children Killed in Assassination Attempt
On Monday, 10 December 2001, Israeli
occupation forces killed two children and injured 14 people while attempting to
assassinate an activist of the Islamic Jihad in Hebron.
According to investigation
carried out by LAW – the Palestinian Society for the Protection of Human Rights
and the Environment, at approximately 14:20, two Israeli Apache gunships fired
two missiles at a group of civilian cars stopped at a traffic light in the
northwest of Hebron, apparently targeting Mohammed Ayoub Seder, an activist of
the Islamic Jihad who is wanted by Israeli occupation forces. Two children, Burhan Mohammed Ibrahim
El-Haimouni, 3, and Shadi Ahmed ‘Abdel-Mu’ti ‘Arafeh, were killed and 14 people
were injured. Seder survived. In addition, three civilian cars were totally
destroyed, and three other cars, nine stores, and three houses were severely
damaged.
2. Shooting
at Palestinian Civilians
At approximately 14:00, a
number of Palestinian children and young men demonstrated opposite to the
entrance of Qalandya refugee camp, on the Jerusalem-Ramallah road. They threw stones at Israeli occupation
forces in the vicinity of Qalandya Airport. Israeli soldiers fired live and rubber-coated metal bullets at the
demonstrators, wounding three:
1) Tha’er
‘Abdel-Hadi Mayala, 21, from Qalandya refugee camp, wounded by a rubber-coated
metal bullet in the head;
2) Mohammed
Salim Hamad, 14, from Qalandya refugee camp, wounded by shrapnel from a live
bullet in the left leg; and
3) Zayed Khalil
El-Kasawani, 13, from Bitounia, wounded by a live bullet in the left leg.
In the afternoon, an
undercover unit of Israeli occupation forces killed two Palestinian men from
Deir Ghassana village, northwest of Ramallah, who were in an area between their
village and Kufor Al-Dik village. The
two victims are:
1) Lu’ai Salim
Mas’hal, 24, killed by a live bullet in the head and several bullets throughout
the body; and
2) ‘Aayed
‘Abboud Mas’hal, 20, killed by a live bullet in the head and several bullets
throughout the body.
According to information
obtained by LAW, at approximately 16:50, news spread through Deir Ghassana
village, which is under full control of the Palestinian National Authority,
that undercover units of Israeli occupation forces were surrounding the village
in order to invade it. The villagers
were informed that two suspicious objects were found in Al-Qula’ area between
Deir Ghassana and Kufor Al-Dik villages. A number of young men, including Lu’ai and ‘Aayed, went to the
area. ‘Aayed was armed. When they arrived at the area, they saw a
wire, which they followed. At the end of
the wire, there was a bomb. The two
young men asked the others to move away from the area. The armed man fired at the bomb to explode
it. Immediately, Israeli undercover
soldiers, who were hiding in the area, opened fire on the two men. Later, the villagers started searching for
the two young men as they had not returned. At approximately 20:00, a police station in Beit Rima received a phone
call by the head of Palestinian liaison in Salfit, in which he was informed
that the Israeli forces were keeping the bodies of two young men. An hour later, as the Israeli side did not
hand over the bodies of the two victims, the villagers searched for them again
and in the end they found them.
At approximately 19:00,
Israeli occupation soldiers in a military jeep that was raiding Ya’bad village
near Jenin fired at Nemer Zayed El-Kilani, 22, wounding him with a live bullet
in the left leg, for no apparent reason. The Israeli soldiers denied access of an ambulance to the village, so a
physician came to the village to treat him.
At approximately 17:30,
Israeli occupation soldiers, positioned in a military location, west of Al-Amal
neighborhood in the west of Khan Yunis, fired at Palestinian houses in the
neighborhood for no apparent reason. Khaled Ahmed El-Faqa’awi, 20, was wounded by a live bullet in the right
leg.
In the evening, Israeli
occupation soldiers in the vicinity of Qalandya Airport fired a rubber-coated
metal bullet from very close distance at 11-year-old Yasser Sami El-Kusbeh,
from Qalandya refugee camp, seriously wounding him in the head. PCHR was informed that the child was trying
to escape with his friends after they had thrown stones towards Israeli
soldiers, but he fell into a deep hole. An Israeli soldier moved closer to him and fired a rubber-coated metal
bullet at his head from close range.
Early in the morning,
Israeli occupation forces killed four Palestinian policemen in ‘Anabta village
near Tulkarm. At approximately 02:00,
six Palestinian policemen were sitting in a dormitory at ‘Anabta police station. Israeli occupation forces in the vicinity of
“Enab” settlement, approximately 1km north of the police station, opened fire
on the area. When the policemen
recognized the source of fire, they left the station in two cars. As soon as they moved, they were fired
upon. They discovered that around 20
Israeli occupation soldiers moved into the village and arrived at the police
station. They besieged the two cars and
fired at the policemen from a distance of only 5m. Four policemen, residents of Beit Lid village
in Tulkarm, were killed:
1) Munif Helmi
Hamada, 26, killed by several live bullets in the head and the chest;
2) Ahmed Samih
El-Kou’, 23, killed by several live bullets in the head;
3) Sa’id
‘Abdullah Dureidi, 25, killed by several live bullets in the head; and
4) ‘Adnan
Suleiman Jom’a, 28, killed by several live bullets in various parts of the
body.
In addition, two policemen
were wounded:
1) Nizar Tawfiq
Salem, 30, from Bazaria village in Tulkarm, wounded by a live bullet in the
pelvis;
2) ‘Alla’ Shaker
Suleiman, 25, from Bal’a village in Tulkarm, wounded by a live bullet in the
left thigh.
At approximately 14:30, a
number of Palestinian young men demonstrated in Bitounia, which was reoccupied
by Israeli occupation forces on Tuesday, 4 December 2001. Israeli soldiers in a military jeep fired at
the demonstrators, wounding Shadi Fayez Hammad, 21, with a live bullet in the
left thigh.
Early in the morning,
Israeli occupation forces fired at a Palestinian civilian car near Al-Jaroushia
junction on Deir Al Ghosoun-Tulkarm road. Two Palestinians were killed:
1) Mohammed
Khalil Jaddou’ Abu Marahil, 25, from Nuseirat refugee camp; and
2) Mohammed
‘Abdel-Qader Falah Jomei’an, 22, from Deir El-Balah.
According to an
investigation carried out by LAW, at approximately 07:10, the two young men,
residents of Tulkarm from the Gaza strip, were traveling in a Palestinian
civilian car together with a third civilian from Deir Al Ghosoun village to
Tulkarm. When they arrived at a military
roadblock at Al-Jaroushia junction, Israeli occupation forces fired at
them. Even when the two victims got out
of the car, the Israeli forces continued firing at them. They were hit by several live bullets. The third young man was able to escape and
survive. An ambulance of the Palestine
Red Crescent Society came to the area to offer them help, but Israeli forces
told the medical personnel that the two young men were dead. They handed the bodies of the two victims to
the medical personnel only at 09:30.
At approximately 13:00,
Israeli occupation forces, positioned in the vicinity of “Neve Dekalim”
settlement, west of Khan Yunis, fired at a number of Palestinian civilians who
were participating in the funeral procession of four Palestinians killed by
Israeli occupation forces on the previous night. Three civilians were wounded:
1) Mohammed
Khamis El-Masri, 17, wounded by a live bullet in the right knee;
2) Yassin Mufid
El-Faqa’awi, 17, wounded by a live bullet in the abdomen; and
3) Mu’in
‘Abdel-Hakim Abu Samra, 15, wounded by a live bullet in the right hand.
3. Shelling
of, and Incursions into Palestinian Residential and Controlled Areas
At noon, Israeli occupation
forces moved from “Dogit” settlement, west of Beit Lahia in the northern Gaza
Strip, more than 1km towards the south. They opened fire from heavy and medium machine guns. An officer of the Palestinian Marine Police,
Taj El-Din Rajab El-Masri, 29, from Beit Lahia, was killed, another one was
wounded and a third one was arrested.
In his affidavit to PCHR,
the wounded man, ‘Abdel-Rahman Mubarak Bureik, 26, from Jabalya, said:
At 12:15, two Israeli tanks
moved towards a site of the Palestinian Marine Police, around 1km away from
“Dogit” settlement. I was with some of
my mates on duty. I saw one of the tanks
moving towards us. When it was 400m away
from the site, we started slowly moving back. When the tank was around 300m away from us, I saw about 5 persons in
civilian clothes and armed with M16s getting out of the tank. Soon, I heard sounds of intense shooting of
live bullets in the area. We tried to
move back, but Taj El-Din El-Masri was slow, so the distance between him and
the Israeli soldiers was only 25m. We
escaped towards the south. Suddenly, I
felt that something hit me in the back and the left leg. I fell onto the ground and crept. One of my mates called for an ambulance. At hospital, I came to know that I was
wounded by two live bullets in the back and the left leg.
According to Palestinian
sources, El-Masri’s body was handed over to the Palestinian side in the
evening. The body was then transferred
to hospital, where medical sources stated that El-Masri received several live
bullets in the head, the abdomen, the back and the right forearm.
At approximately 01:00, a
special unit of Israeli occupation forces, reinforced with three tanks, moved
approximately 800m into ‘Abasan village in Khan Yunis. They besieged the house of ‘Abed-Rabbu
Barakat Abu Daqqa to arrest his son ‘Essam, 35, an employee at the Palestinian
Ministry of Local Government. They did
not find him at the house, so they searched the house and evacuated its
residents. They confiscated some books
and cassettes that belonged to ‘Essam. Then, they arrested his brother Hatem, 29, a journalist at the
Palestinian News Agency (Wafa). In his
affidavit to PCHR, Hatem said that he was severely beaten by Israeli soldiers
whose faces were colored and others who were in civilian clothes. They forced him to take his clothes off for
some minutes. Then, they took him to a
military location near the border, east of Al-Qarara, handcuffed. He was interrogated for 4 hours about his brother
‘Essam. After they had severely beaten
him, they took him to Al-Matahen junction, north of Khan Yunis, where he was
handed over to the Palestinian side.
During the raid, Israeli
soldiers severely beat ‘Abdel-Hai Ibrahim Abu Daqqa, 57.
At approximately 01:45, an
infantry unit of Israeli occupation forces, comprised of about 100 soldiers,
thrust 700m into Al-Satar Al-Gharbi area in the northwest of Khan Yunis. They besieged three houses of El-Astal
family. They forced the families to get
out of the houses. They searched the
houses. Two hours later, they withdrew
after they had arrested Ahmed Mohammed El-Astal, 32, a member of the
Palestinian Military Intelligence.
At approximately 03:00,
Israeli F-16 fighter jets fired two missiles at the headquarters of the
directorate of Palestinian police in Gaza. A 500-square-meter, three-story administrative building was totally
destroyed, and a 500-square-meter, three-story dormitory was partially
destroyed. Some civilian facilities,
such as the campus of Al-Azhar University, Palestine Bank and some schools were
severely damaged. In addition, 20
Palestinians were slightly injured.
At approximately 03:20, a
unit of Israeli occupation forces, comprised of approximately 100 soldiers,
moved into Jalqamous village, east of Jenin. They raided the house of Yousef Taher El-Qerem, 27. They broke its windows and bedrooms and fired
3 live bullets inside it. Then, they
arrested the mentioned man and his brother Mohammed, 26, and took then to an
unknown destination. Then, they
destroyed an under-construction house owned by Mohammed.
At approximately 01:00,
Israeli combat helicopters hit the headquarters of the Palestinian Military
Intelligence in Rafah. According to
PCHR’s investigation, the helicopters fired 5 rockets at the building, severely
damaging it. The electricity network was
severely damaged and electricity was cut off. No casualties were reported, as the building had been evacuated in
advance.
At approximately 18:30, six
Israeli armoured personnel carriers thrust approximately 500m into three
neighborhoods in the north of Rafah, Musabbeh, ‘Oreibeh and Morag, near “Morag”
settlement. They destroyed three sites
of the Palestinian National Security Forces.
In the evening, Khalil
‘Abdel-Fattah Abu Shawish, 24, from Rafah, was pronounced dead. He was critically wounded by shrapnel
throughout the body on 4 December 2001 when Israeli occupation forces at the
Egyptian border shelled Rafah refugee camp.
At approximately 20:00,
Israeli occupation forces at the Egyptian border, south of Rafah, shelled Block
“O” area in Rafah refugee camp. Mohammed
Yousef El-‘Affifi, 21, was wounded by shrapnel in the left arm, and a number of
houses were severely damaged.
At the same time, Israeli
occupation forces, positioned in the vicinity of “Neve Dekalim” settlement,
west of Khan Yunis, opened fire on Khan Yunis refugee camp. A number of houses were damaged, but no
casualties were reported.
At approximately 02:20,
Israeli occupation forces moved into Ramin village, east of Tulkarm, under the
full control of the Palestinian National Authority. They raided some houses and fired at other
houses. Two Palestinian civilians, Zayed
Sami Salman, 28, and Zeid Ibrahim Ibseissi, 25, were wounded. The Israeli forces arrested the two and took
them to an unknown destination. They
also arrested 14 villagers.
In the morning, Subhi Jamil
Rateb Abu Mu’nes, 36, from ‘Arrabeh village, south of Jenin, was killed by two
medium caliber bullets in the neck and the heart fired by an Israeli tank
positioned in Al-Sweitat area in the east of Jenin.
According to investigation
carried out by the Palestinian Society for the Protection of Human Rights and
the Environment, at approximately 09:00, Abu Mu’nes, a taxi driver, moved from
‘Arrabeh towards Jenin. Eight passengers
were traveling in his car. As the main
road between the two areas was blocked, the driver traveled through a branch
road. When he was about to enter Jenin
through Al-Sweitat area, an Israeli tank fired at the car. The driver was killed by two medium caliber
bullets. No casualties were reported
among the passengers.
At approximately 11:00,
Israeli occupation forces at the Egyptian border, south of Rafah, opened fire
on Block “O” area in Rafah refugee camp. ‘Abdullah Na’im Zo’rob, 30, was injured by shrapnel in the head while he
was near his house.
At approximately 02:00, two
Israeli combat helicopters fired four missiles at a building of the Palestinian
Presidential Guard (Force 17) in Beit Hanoun in the northern Gaza Strip. The building was destroyed, but no casualties
were reported as it had already been evacuated.
At approximately 22:00,
Israeli occupation forces in the vicinity of Al-Tuffah checkpoint, west of Khan
Yunis, opened fire on Khan Yunis refugee camp. Mohammed Ahmed Shurrab, 32, was injured by shrapnel in the right foot,
and a number of houses were damaged.
Late at night, four
Palestinian civilians were killed and some were injured when Israeli combat
helicopters intensively shelled Khan Yunis.
According to PCHR’s
investigation, at approximately 23:45, two Israeli combat helicopters fired two
missiles at Al-Nemsawi neighborhood in the west of Khan Yunis. A missile hit an area adjacent to housing
units of Al-Farra Company. Yasser Hassan
Abu Namous, 21, was killed by shrapnel throughout the body, and Fadhel Mohammed
Abu ‘Obeida, 24, was critically injured by shrapnel throughout the body and was
pronounced dead on Wednesday morning. PCHR’s field officer in Khan Yunis reported that the two victims were
originally residents of Khan Yunis refugee camp and moved to live in Al-Nemsawi
neighborhood after their houses had been demolished by Israeli occupation
forces. They were killed while sitting
near their houses. Additionally, six
civilians were injured:
1) Wissam Majdi
Muhareb, 24, seriously injured by shrapnel in the head and the legs;
2) Shamel Manar
Wadi, 20, injured by shrapnel in the hands and lost a finger;
3) Hussein
Suleiman Abu Shuqier, 32, injured by shrapnel in the back and the foot;
4) Rami ‘Aadel El-Dabbas,
23, slightly injured by shrapnel throughout the body;
5) Ramadan
Ismail Zo’rob, 22, slightly injured by shrapnel throughout the body; and
6) ‘Aalla’ Rezeq El-Qassas, 25, slightly injured
by shrapnel throughout the body.
At approximately 00:30, the
Israeli combat helicopters shelled Khan Yunis again. They fired two missiles at the western
cemetery of Khan Yunis. Two Palestinian
civilians were killed:
1) Es’id
‘Abdel-Karim Abu Setteh, 24, killed by shrapnel throughout the body; and
2) Sa’id Ahmed
Abu Setteh, 20, killed by shrapnel throughout the body.
In addition, two were
injured:
1) Ziad Huleil
Abu Setteh, 25, injured by shrapnel throughout the body; and
2) Firas
‘Abdel-‘Azziz Abu Khmas, 23, injured by shrapnel in the right foot.
A number of houses and a training
center were severely damaged.
At approximately 15:00, an
Israeli convoy of two tanks and three jeeps moved into the west of Jenin, under
full control of the Palestinian National Authority. They thrust some 2km into the city. During the incursion, the Israeli forces
shelled Palestinian houses. Soon,
Palestinian security men and militants confronted the invading forces. Thirty Palestinians, mostly civilians, were
injured.
At approximately 21:45,
Israeli F-16 and F-15 fighter jets attacked Junied compound, which included
buildings of the Palestinian Marine Police, National Security Forces,
Preventive Security and Scientific Society and a runway of the Palestinian
President’s planes. The Israeli fighter
jets launched three air-to-surface missiles on the compound in two raids. The runway was totally destroyed and the
building of the Scientific Society was damaged, but no casualties were reported
as these buildings had been already evacuated.
At the same time, five Israeli
F-16 fighter jets attacked Ansar Compound and Arafat Police City. The attacks continued up to 04:00 on
Thursday. A 44-year-old woman, Hayat
As’ad El-Haitham, from Al-Nasser neighborhood, mother of eight children, died
from a heart attack due to such attacks. In addition, more than 20 Palestinians were injured, and dozens suffered
from shock.
The attacks targeted:
1) Four
administrative buildings of Force 17, the Marine Police and Public Security,
which were totally destroyed.
2) A
300-square-meter, three-story building in Arafat Police City, which included
the office of the Head of Palestinian Police and administrative offices. The building was totally destroyed.
At approximately 22:50,
Israeli F-16 fighter jets attacked Gaza International Airport in the south of
Rafah. The Israeli fighter jets launched
two air-to-surface missiles and two large shells on the airport. The radar station was totally destroyed. The loss is estimated at millions of
US$. In addition, a building of the
Palestinian Petrol General Corporation in the airport was severely damaged.
At approximately 23:30,
Israeli F-16 fighter jets attacked a security location of the Palestinian
Marine Police in the west of Beit Lahia. The location is 30 donums in area and is comprised of some buildings
used as administrative offices and maintenance workshops. The attack continued up to 02:50 on
Thursday. The Israeli fighter jets used
shells weighing more than 100kg. The
site was frequently shelled in the past. PCHR’s field officer reported that the attack targeted:
1) A
300-square-meter, one-story building, used as offices for the Marine
Police. The building was totally
destroyed.
2) A
200-square-meter, one-story building, used as offices for the military medical
service. The building was totally
destroyed.
3) A
300-square-meter, one-story building, used as a dormitory. The building was totally destroyed.
4) A
350-square-meter, one-story building, used as a car maintenance workshop. The building was totally destroyed.
In addition, some nearby
tourist centers were damaged.
4. Arrests
This week, Israeli
occupation forces arrested many Palestinians. The arrests took place in the following circumstances:
1. At international border crossings, under the control
of Israeli occupation forces.
2. At Israeli military roadblocks on main and branch
roads at the entrances to Palestinian cities and villages.
3. In Palestinian towns and villages, often during house
raids.
The following table lists
significant arrests that took place this week:
|
No. |
Name |
Age |
Place of Residence |
Date of Arrest |
Manner of Arrest |
|
1. |
Humeid ‘Abdel-Rahim Abu |
27 |
‘Azzoun, Qalqilya |
6 December |
Arrested at his house |
|
2. |
Mohammed ‘Abdel-Latif Abu |
26 |
‘Azzoun, Qalqilya |
6 December |
Arrested at his house |
|
3. |
Anwar Ahmed Hammad |
17 |
Rafah |
6 December |
Arrested at a military roadblock at Al-Matahen junction, |
|
4. |
Mahmoud ‘Aadel ‘Amarneh |
22 |
Ya’bad, Jenin |
7 December |
Arrested at his house |
|
5. |
Faraj ‘Aadel ‘Amarneh |
24 |
Ya’bad, Jenin |
7 December |
Arrested at his house |
|
6. |
Nidhal Yahia Hamarsheh |
22 |
Ya’bad, Jenin |
7 December |
Arrested at his house |
|
7. |
Hadi Tawfiq Hamarsheh |
30 |
Ya’bad, Jenin |
7 December |
Arrested at his house |
|
8. |
Ibrahim Ahmed Ibseissi |
65 |
Ramin, Tulkarm |
9 December |
Arrested at his house |
|
9. |
‘Adnan Ibrahim Ibseissi |
30 |
Ramin, Tulkarm |
9 December |
Arrested at his house |
|
10. |
Malek Ibrahim Ibseissi |
20 |
Ramin, Tulkarm |
9 December |
Arrested at his house |
|
11. |
Mahmoud Ahmed Ibseissi |
60 |
Ramin, Tulkarm |
9 December |
Arrested at his house |
|
12. |
Tariq Hazza’ Hamad |
30 |
Ramin, Tulkarm |
9 December |
Arrested at his house |
|
13. |
Mohammed ‘Abdel-Rahim |
42 |
Ramin, Tulkarm |
9 December |
Arrested at his house |
|
14. |
Khaled Jamil Barham |
30 |
Ramin, Tulkarm |
9 December |
Arrested at his house |
|
15. |
Eyad Jamil Suleiman |
30 |
Ramin, Tulkarm |
9 December |
Arrested at his house |
|
16. |
Tayseer Fathi Suleiman |
27 |
Ramin, Tulkarm |
9 December |
Arrested at his house |
|
17. |
‘Aazem Nayef Suleiman |
45 |
Ramin, Tulkarm |
9 December |
Arrested at his house |
|
18. |
Ghazi Ahmed Suleiman |
18 |
Ramin, Tulkarm |
9 December |
Arrested at his house |
|
19. |
‘Azziz Abu Shahla |
30 |
Gaza |
10 December |
Arrested at a military |
|
20. |
Faraj ‘Abdel-Ghani |
32 |
Sabastia, Nablus |
10 December |
Arrested at his house |
|
21. |
Nabil Subhi Hamayel |
25 |
Bita, Nablus |
10 December |
Arrested at his house |
|
22. |
Shadi Ibrahim Hamamra |
25 |
Housan, Bethlehem |
10 December |
Arrested at his house |
|
23. |
Hani Mohammed Qentar |
22 |
Housan, Bethlehem |
10 December |
Arrested at his house |
|
24. |
Ra’fat Mahmoud Mousa |
22 |
Al-Khader, Bethlehem |
11 December |
Arrested at his house |
|
25. |
Fadhel Mahmoud Salah |
23 |
Al-Khader, Bethlehem |
11 December |
Arrested at his house |
|
26. |
Mu’tassem Ibrahim ‘Eissa |
18 |
Al-Khader, Bethlehem |
11 December |
Arrested at his house |
5) A
Palestinian Civilian Dies at an Israeli Military Roadblock Due to Obstructed
Access to Hospital
On 6 December, Mohammed Mahoud Abu
Dayeh, 46, from Al-Zhahereya village, southwest of Hebron, died while on his
way from his work in Abu Dis to his village.
PCHR was informed that at
approximately 08:00 Abu Dayeh moved from Abu Dis to his village through Wadi
Al-Nar road and sand roads in the east of Bethlehem. At approximately 14:30, when he arrived at an
Israeli military roadblock near Sa’ir village, he was extremely tired as he
walked very long distances. He asked
Israeli soldiers at the roadblock to allow him to stay in the car because he
suffered from problems in the heart, but they refused. They forced him to walk. He fainted while walking. An ambulance was called for, but the Israeli
soldiers denied its passage. A number of
people helped the medical personnel in the evacuation of Abu Dayeh to the
ambulance on the other side of the roadblock. Abu Dayeh was dead when he was brought to hospital. According to medical sources, Abu Dayeh
suffered from a heart attack.
*****
PCHR calls:
1. Upon governments that participated in the World
Conference Against Racism in Durban in South Africa to adopt crucial decisions
condemning practices by Israel in the Occupied Palestinian Territories, which
can only be described as apartheid against the Palestinian people.
2. Upon the international community to provide immediate
and independent international protection for the Palestinian people in the
Occupied Palestinian Territories.
3. Upon the High Contracting Parties to the Fourth
Geneva Convention of 1949 to reconvene in order to take effective measures to
protect Palestinian civilians in the Occupied Palestinian Territories, in
accordance with their obligations under Article 1, to ensure the respect of the
Convention.
4. Upon the
international community to investigate and prosecute those believed to have
committed war crimes in the Occupied Palestinian Territories before
international courts.
5. Upon the ICRC to enhance its presence, expand its
activities, and intensify its field observations throughout the Occupied
Palestinian Territories.
6. Upon the European Union to activate Article 2 of the
Euro-Israeli Association Agreement, which provides that Israel must respect
human rights.
7. Upon the international community to provide
humanitarian and medical assistance for the Palestinian people, whose living
conditions are continuing to deteriorate as a result of the continued siege
imposed by Israeli occupation forces on the entire Occupied Palestinian
Territories.
